Macaroni Pasta Indian Style

Hi All,

I have slowed down on blogging since I am juggling a number of things these days. Life is getting busy but it is good. Thanks to those who still stop by. I'm sorry for the disappointment of not seeing a new post very often. I'm aiming to post at least 2 posts per month. I think I might be running out of recipes too :)
But the best part of food is that there are so many cuisines. You could cook up a typical dish or you could do fusion. I love fusion especially when it comes to Chinese.
The other day I went to my friend's house. She had made Indian style pasta. It was the first time I had Indo-Italian! I was surprised how good it tasted! She didn't give me the recipe but mentioned that she added curry powder.
I had heard of pasta with curry powder before but had always been skeptical of how it would taste. Therefore, I never braved it out to try cook in my kitchen. After having tried it at my friend's house, I gained confidence that it can't be so bad. I was more worried that Mr. Husband would not relish this recipe. Hesitatingly, I proceeded with my own invented recipe. The only thing I specially bought for this recipe was curry powder. Other ingredients that I used were those that were readily available at home. Here it goes:
Ingredients:
1. Macaroni pasta or any other of your choice
2. Red onion, chopped
3. Alfredo sauce
4. Cheese sauce
5. Asorted vegetables (I used frozen beans and peas and fresh tomatoes)
6. Curry powder
7. Salt to taste
8. Olive oil
9. Basil and oregano
10. Dried red chili flakes
11. Garlic, minced

Directions:
1. Boil water and cook the macaroni until al dente. Set aside
2. Heat a deep bottomed vessel.
3. Add olive oil
4. Throw in garlic and onion and fry until they change colours.
5. Add alfredo sauce, cheese sauce, oregano, curry powder basil, and red chili flakes.
6. Mix well and bring to a boil.
7. Add in vegetables and cook on low to medium flame.
8. Add the macaroni and mix well.
9. Add salt to taste if required.
10. Adjust the seasoining to your taste.

Serve cold as a salad or warm as a main course dish.
Mr. Husband loved this dish. Thanks to my friend D!

Home Made Spaghetti

I loved spaghetti as a kid. Here's a tribute to those cherished childhood memories! Good 'ol Spaghetti!

1. 28 oz crushed tomato
2. 6 oz tomato paste
3. 4 tsp ketchup
4. 28oz + water
5. Basil
6. Oregano
7. Black pepper
8. Salt
9. Brown sugar, 1.5 tsp
10. Chicken, cooked and cut in cubes (use sausage if you eat red meat or skip for a vegetarian variety)
11. 1-2 red onion, chopped
12. 3-4 garlic
13. Olive oil
14. Red wine, Cabernet, 1/4 cup
15. Cooked whole wheat spaghettini
16. red chili flakes
17. Parmesan cheese


Instructions:
1. In a heavy bottomed wok, add olive oil.
2. Throw in red onion, garlic and cook until translucent.
3. Add basil, oregano, black pepper, red chili flakes and mix well.
4. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, ketchup, water, salt, sugar, red wine, chicken, and boil on high heat.
5. When you see bubbles, lower the heat and add water.
6. Mix and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
7. Pour this auce over cooked spaghetti and then sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.


Home made spaghetti for your palate!

Chicken Penne Alfredo

Pasta with Alfredo sauce and cooked chicken is a perfect dinner option. The carbs come from the pasta, the protein from the chicken, and to please the palate is our very own Alfredo sauce. Alfredo sauce can be cooked at home just like any other pasta sauce can be. I have previously made basil pesto sauce from scratch at home but figured that the efforts are not quite worth it. I prefer store bought sauces unless it comes to spaghetti where I like to make my own sauce.

This dish can be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken with some vegetables. In fact, this is my first take at a non veg pasta. I was pleased with the result. It was a nice change from the regular Indian cuisine that we have been eating.

1. Olive oil or butter. I used olive oil for health reasons.
2. 2 pods of garlic, minced
3. 1/2 red onion, chopped (optional). This gives the dish a nice crunch.
4. 1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breast
5. Red chili flakes
6. Oregano
7. Basil
8. Black pepper
9. Salt to taste
10. 2 pinches of ground nutmeg
11. Whole wheat pasta penne or fettucine
12. Parmeson cheese
13. Alfredo sauce (home made or store bought).

Instructions:
1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, boil water.
2. Add the pasta penne and cook until al-dente.
3. In the meantime, heat a wok.
4. Add olive oil to the heated wok.
5. Throw in red onion and garlic and saute until the red onions become transclucent.
6. Then add basil, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, nutmeg, and chicken.
7. Cook covered on medium heat until the chicken is fully cooked.
8. Go back to the pasta and drain the water and add it to the chicken sauce.
Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on top.

Paste Penne with Garlic and mustard sauce

Pasta once again...this time without any tomato or cheese...for the vegan. Without ado, here we go!

1. Olive oil, 3 tablespoons
2. Frozen vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
3. Catelli Whole wheat Pasta penne, 1/4 box
4. Minced garlic, 1 tablespoon
5. Minced ginger, 1 tablespoon
6. Red chili sauce
7. Dijon mustard sauce, 1/4 tablespoon
8. Freshly ground black pepper, a dash
9. Salt to taste
10. Lemon (optional)


Instructions:
1. Boil water in a big pot.
2. Add pasta and allow to cook for about 45 mins.
3. When the pasta softens, drain water and keep aside.
4. In another pan, heat olive oil.
5. Add minced garlic and ginger and fry for 2-3 mins.
6. Add vegetables and cook for 5 minutes
7. Add mustard and red chili sauce and cook for another 2 mins. These two ingredients give the bland pasta a kick!
8. Add pasta and mix well.
9. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, lemon, and red chili sauce.

Serve hot with salad or mashed potatoes! Tasty and wholesome dinner in a jiffy!

And this post was specially composed for The Italian event of Vaishali's Holy Cow!

Pasta Penne

Pasta is an Italian word that means dough. In the culinary world, it commonly used for a dish in which the primary ingredient is 'pasta' (can be in the form of noodles, spaghetti, lasagne etc). Pasta comes in many shapes such as penne, rotini and so on. I was almost unknown to pasta until I landed in North America. In this recipe, we use the penne style pasta. Pasta is easy and quick dinner when I am tired after a long day of work or when I am bored of Indian food.

Here is my tribute to pasta...

Serves 4. No preparation required.

Ingredients:
1. 1/4 a box of Catelli whole wheat Penne pasta
2. 1 can (680 ml) tomato sauce
3. 1 can cheese sauce
4. 2 tablespoons oregano
5. 2 tablespoons basil
6. dash of ground black pepper
7. 4 tablespoons olive oil
8. 1 medium sized red onion, finely shopped
9. 1 small green or red pepper, cut into cubes
10. about 1 pound broccoli, florets cut
11. 1 green pepper, chopped into squares
12. 1-2 carrots, vertically sliced
13. olive oil, 4 tablespoons
14, 1 tablespoon minced garlic and ginger

Instructions:
1. Boil water in a saucepan
2. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook pasta for about 45 mins until pasta is soft and tender.
3. Drain the water and keep pasta aside.
4. In another pan, heat olive and fry onions, ginger and garlic.
5. Add vegetables and then add basil, oregano, pepper and cook until vegetables are tender.
6. Add tomato sauce and cheese sauce and cook for 10 mins.
7. Add pasta and mix the sauce with the pasta.
8. Cook for another 10 mins on low heat.

Serve with a side of instant or home-made mashed potatoes.